Issues and Insights
This page provides links to recent articles, reports and announcements relating to transportation policy, legislation and research. The entries are drawn from a wide range of sources, including the NJTPA and its member agencies. If you come across interesting transportation reading that might deserve posting here, let us know at [email protected]
The Dutch Reach: A No-Tech Way to Save Bicyclists’ Lives
New York Times, Oct. 5, 2018 — This simple change in the way you get out of your car can save lives — of cyclists, drivers and passengers. Here’s how to do it, and why it’s so effective....He calls the maneuver the “Dutch Reach,” and it works like this: When you are about to exit the car, you reach
across your body for the door handle with your far or opposite hand. This action forces you to turn toward the side view mirror, out and then back over your shoulder to be sure a bicyclist is not coming from behind. Only then do you slowly open the door.
Why You Shouldn’t Underestimate a Tech Startup From Newark
NextCity, July 23, 2019 - When it came to the idea of Newark, New Jersey, being a tech hub, the first people Kayla Jackson and Chisa Egbelu needed to convince was themselves. Then they had to convince their families. Three years into building Pedul, an online scholarship marketplace for college students, they’ve gone on to convince a growing community of peers and followers who now see in them a future they’d never before imagined for New Jersey’s largest city.
'Why not fly over it?’ Uber picks New Jersey firms in ambitious bid to beat traffic congestion
Philadelphia Inquirer, July 24, 2019 - Two local companies are in the vanguard of building Uber’s latest venture of dominating cities’ skies through air taxis, a project called Uber Elevate. Jaunt Air Mobility, an aerospace vehicle start-up in Pennsauken, and Price Systems, a cost estimation company in Mount Laurel, are working with Uber to design, build, and estimate the cost of making modern-looking electronic helicopters the future of urban transportation.
Driverless Cars Are Taking Longer Than We Expected. Here’s Why.
New York Times, July 14, 2019 - As things stand, partially autonomous vehicles are already on American roads, rigged out with features like automatic emergency braking and lane-departure warnings. But a lot of work remains to be done to make fully self-operating cars a fact of everyday life, and Retro Report explores some of the remaining obstacles: Streets and highways need to be mapped, down to a few centimeters.
Railroads explore blockchain's potential
Progressive Railroading, July 2019 - In 2018, several Class Is and other rail companies announced they were joining the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA) to develop new standards for using blockchain technology to enable a faster, more cost-efficient and transparent freight supply chain. A year later, some railroads are engaged in pilot projects to test where and how the technology might work to their advantage.